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Dubai International Parachuting Championships - Day 3 & 4

All Imagery by Kuba Konwent

5th DIPC: Accuracy, VFS, 4-ways and CF flying hard
The fifth Dubai International Parachute Competition is already started and going on from sunrise to sunset. The dropzone is closed for all commercial activities (AFF, tandems, fun jumps), but a collection of jumpships including 2 helicopters, 2 Twin Otters, 1 Cessna Caravan are going up and down with short breaks for refuel. The essence of skydiving community is just here.

Accuracy in the very center
As the swoop pond will be silent for a couple of days, accuracy landings attract most of audience’s attention. Some say that it is a discipline which is not under intense R&D; but apparently it’s very exposed and divided between group and individual competition and also between seniors and juniors.
- Some rules changed since last year - says Matthias Maushake, Head of Manifest - We now allow Juniors to jump with Seniors in one group, so that’s one of the main changes. We try to adjust competitions to the reality and we observe how it goes to be able to come up with conclusions.

- Everything is great, the discipline is getting bigger, canopies are being improved. I look forward to the future of Accuracy - claims Saeed Alhashimi from Judges Comittee.

Womens Team Accuracy Results

Pos
Nat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Total

1
Belarus
5
5
5
2
2
5
4
5
33

2
Russia
6
7
0
1
10
4
1
8
37

3
China
19
3
5
5
8
4
3
6
53

4
Poland
10
10
6
3
6
12
19
10
76

5
France
25
18
18
6
26
19
8
8
128

Mens Team Accuracy Results - Top 5

Pos
Nat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Total

1
Slovenia
3
3
4
1
2
0
2
2
17

2
Italy
7
3
1
5
1
0
2
2
21

3
Russia
4
2
0
2
0
7
6
1
22

4
Hungary
2
4
3
4
2
2
6
3
26

5
China
4
0
2
3
6
5
1
7
28

What Lies Ahead for VFS?
For a very long time before the competition only the Canadian VFS team was registered. Just a few days before DIPC one additional team from Poland declared their attendance, making it one of the disciplines where there are fewer entries than previous years.
- It requires a lot of comittment and patience. Having an average of 10 points is a huge effort not only for one person, but for four and of course the cameraman - says member of Canadian team member - We’re happy with the 48p. we have in total now. However it would be perfect if we had more teams to compete with. Having only 2 teams on board, it’s not the same, but of course we will do our best to have the highest score possible.
We have also asked the Polish team how they feel during their first competition: "We only have 2 months of training as a team. The atmosphere is great and we aim for getting some experience. We don’t expect a miracle to happen but it’s important to compete with the best." - says capitan of Polish representation, Marek Nowakowski.

Windy dropzone and Swoop League
Saturday’s afternoon was already quite windy. Accuracy competitors were released for the rest of a day. Sunday morning wind was around 15-17 knots, so competition started around 11am. Accuracy still on hold, but everyone else is doing their thing.
Also at the Desert Campus Swoop League is going on. Today new category was introduced to the competitors and public: “max-speed” which is a combination of Speed and Distance. Competitors are supposed to enter with a maximum speed and fly as far as they can. Here is how it looks like:

Post użytkownika Performance Designs.

4-ways Open/Female
Formation Skydiving is a classic. You can see 4-way teams training on the creepers everywhere, coaches circuling around and giving hints. We asked Karla Cole from Judges Committee how does she feel about FS skydiving during this competition.
- It’s a classic discipline, I don’t think it will ever going to be less popular. There were disciplines that have died already, as Skysurfing, but FS is not one of them. I’m a little bit worried about VFS, because it really is awesome and yet… we only have 2 teams registered. Only time will show the future. - says Karla. Asked about FS and VFS development responds: Well, definitetly VFS requires more high skills and of course the mutual work between the team and cameraman. It’s easier to catch all grips from above than in VFS where you have to be sometimes headup, sometimes headdown and know better how to show the grip to the judges. Sometimes only one point decides who is the winner. The same for FS.

And indeed - In FS Canadian and Belgium team have both 88 points in total. That’s the sport spirit we’re all looking for in skydiving!
More results can be found at both Omniskore's and EAF's websites

By admin, in Events, November 30, 2014

Dubai International Parachuting Championships - Day 2

All imagery by Kuba Konwent
Dubai is a special place and for a skydiver - it really is unique. If you want to feel like a professional athlete and member of a serious global community - there is literally no better place. Skydiving is not a niche sport here - it’s a main one. Skydivers are not freaks with a weird hobby, but appreciated professionals and VIP guests. Different world, no questiones asked.
In the recent days skydivers of all disciplines were registrating and jumping over the Palm and on the Desert for training sessions. Accuracy, 4-ways, swoopers, freestylers - the magic of diversity was visible all around both dropzones and in the tunnel. Busy days for the Manifest, organizers and competitors.

- I’m definitely more experienced than a year ago and I also have a smaller canopy size, which can be helpful - says Cornelia Mihai from Skydive Dubai swooping team, starting in Canopy Piloting discipline. - Of course I aim for winning, as everybody. I trained a lot and I will do my best.
Today first rounds of Accuracy, 4-way Open and 4-way Female took place. The weather conditions were positive for the majority of a day, but in the late afternoon and evening stronger wind made swoopers worried about tomorrow’s Dubai International Swoop League. It is considered to be a warm up competition before DICP rounds but it has a separate results and awards. A couple of changes were applied this year to the general rules known so far. We will publish more details soon, just before Canopy Piloting which starts on 1st Dec.

- I’m always planning a new record - laughs Nick Batch (8 Distance and 2 Speed world records) - Of course Speed is more demanding, so I will definitely be focused on that. But I also feel there is a lot to do in the Distance area.
As always, between swoop pond and national teams’ booths, there is a lot of fun going on, but one place seems to be more crowded than the others. It’s a wingsuit simulator with a specific ‘tracks’ displayed in a special big goggles mounted on a head. Everyone can feel the thrill of wingsuit proximity flying, after lying on a special device which is sensitive to all body movements. To make it even more realistic, you can feel wind on your face and sounds of the air going faster and faster. Really great entertainment not only for non-skydivers.
As every year, there is Photography Competition taking place and everybody can submit their pictures. Spectacular views and performances, big format event and colorful surroundings make the place perfect for professional (and amateur) photographers. Many of them could be spotted at work during sunset PPG (powered paragliding) flying: beautiful and unique view.

At 8pm the official opening of DIPC took place in the artificial stadium built a couple of days before. It was truly a stunning performance of sky-dancers hanged on the ‘sky’ displayed on walls and ceiling. Hanging on a ‘circus’ handles all performers were literally flying 2 meters above the audience. Skydivers watching the show would notice that their movements are not only beautiful but suprisingly accurate and professional. After a short while everyone was already sure that the real skydivers were actually performing. This fact made a show even more incredible. With fireworks just above heads and hearts full of music - everyone is ready to make this competition legen… wait for it ... dary.

By admin, in Events, November 29, 2014

5th Dubai International Parachuting Championships Underway

By admin, in Events, November 27, 2014

FAI World Cup 2014 - Indoor Skydiving Competition

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) - The World Air Sports Federation, was founded in 1905. Skydivers from all over the world have been waiting for this moment of recognition where the indoor skydiving collides with skydiving and the indoor sport competition becomes real.
In November 2014, history was made in the air sports. For the first time ever Indoor Skydiving was recognized as a sport by the FAI and a World Cup was held at iFLY Austin in Texas, USA. Many countries were represented such as Russia, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Sweden, Czech Republic and Monaco.

This is also the first time that a junior category has been recognized within the air sport. Aerokart Akademie sent their best flyers, two FS junior teams with flyers ranging from 10 to 13 years old and an average score of 12.8 and 10.7, Akademie 1 and Akademie 2.
Both teams have been training hard and competed against five other teams in the same division leading the way for the Bad Boys, representing Czech Republic, with a beautiful win of 20.9 average score. Close behind was our USA team Spaceland Lite and Team eXact from Sweden. The podium never looked so good with so much international talent. In the female category, team Aerokart Deep Blue had a smashing victory with a 24.7 average score, allowing the female team from Czech Republic, Hurricane Factory Chicks, to get second place. These girls certainly made an impression with their coordinated jumpsuits and smiles.

The Freefly discipline, part of the Artistic Events, always amazes the general public with the synchronized movements and sent the crowd rallying with applauses. Not to be surprised, team USA has put an enormous dedication into showing the world their passion for indoor skydiving and created a routine that took the judges off their feet. Team Mandrake, composed of Chris Dixon and Javier Serrano, won Gold with a 65.0 total score.
Collective, the other USA team followed with the silver and Orion Freely from Sweden took bronze showing the judges’ one of the most challenging synchronized team exits of the competition The Mexican team, Avix, showed to everyone that with love and dedication, being part of the first world cup was an experience of a life time and to not ever be forgotten no matter what place you got.

If you enjoy a dance routine performed by a single person that is full of emotion and energy; full enough to make your arm hair spike, than you know that the Freestyle category blew away many eyes and made many heads turn. Music choreography and soft dance moves were incorporated to impress the judges and general public. The indoor World Cup hosted seven Freestyle competitors and they all had their unique signature moves. USA was represented by our ‘Golden Boy’ Reese Willson with an total score of 60.4 and a final round flown with his arms inside his jumpsuit to encourage the disabled to participate in the sport! In second place were the famous pointy toes of Mike Silva with team Collective of the USA, followed by the exquisite flying technique of Olga Bakulina and Leo Volkov with the Russian delegation. Following up the Russians was Drew, Man of Steele, of the USA with his shocking triple flips, then the youngest world medal holder in indoor skydiving history Mateo Lumnios with his matching orange shoes. Lastly in the Freestyle category, Lise Hernandez Girouard represented Canada and got the crowd singing to “pretty woman” during of one of her performance rounds.

Three countries were represented in the VFS category, USA, Poland and Mexico. SDC standard held their world class status with an average score of 24.3, sharing the podium with team Fly Definition in second place and Avix from Mexico in third. SDC Standard teammates Mickey Nuttall, Will Pesek , Rook Nelson and Jason Peters set the bar really high for anyone that would like to take their World Champion title away next year!
A few years ago Gillian Rayner, the IPC Controller, explored the idea of creating the World Cup Indoor skydiving, working with Axel Zohmann, Director of the IBA, and iFLY Operations Manager, Erin Horton. Modifying the rules of skydiving and adapting them to an indoor 14 foot wind tunnel, we dedicated this World Cup to all future World Champions that will come after this grand year.
To many hours of flying in the wind tunnel and to leaping into new winds, may this year motivate many of us to train and to empower our community to achieve new flying skills. We raise the glass to the FAI for making this dream a reality for all of the competitors. Here Here!

By admin, in Events, November 25, 2014

Skydive Arizona Halloween Boogie 2014

By admin, in Events, November 13, 2014

Performance Designs Announces New Valkyrie Canopy

Over the past several weeks Performance Designs have been dropping hints about their latest product, with a cryptic advertisment in Parachutist magazine at the end of September, that had a few readers scratching their heads and trying to establish what exactly PD were advertising. Clearly the marketing tactic worked, as interest grew about just what it was about. One community member, "Zlew" - suggested that the advert may be about a product with the name "Valkyrie", based off the design and the style of the 'V' that was present in the image.
Today Performance Designs have confirmed this suspicion, with the public announcement of their this new canopy, the Valkyrie. The Valkyrie is a mean little 7-cell design with inflatable stabilizers/wingtips, and is quite similar to the Peregrine in both look and planform. It's a freefall canopy with focus on quality openings at terminal speeds.
- Zero-Porosity material.

- Standard configuration: Collapsible drawstring slider and 500 Orange Vectran, optional RDS and 300 Orange Vectran (for competitive/subterminal use)

- Sizes: The Valkyrie

We spoke to Performance Designs about the Valkyrie, and they addressed some of the questions one may have about the company's new canopy.
Q: Who is this canopy for?

A: This canopy is far more responsive than a Velocity or Comp Velocity, and not lacking in power or speed. It was designed for expert skydivers who are experienced and highly competent on high performance, cross braced canopies.

If you are very proficient jumping a Velocity or Comp Velocity and want to take it to the next level, this is the canopy for you.
"The openings are amazing. Best opening canopy I can recall jumping. Never once got it to open hard no matter what I tried (freefly to a quick pull, tracking hard to a pull, etc)." - Ian Drennan,PDFT
Q: How are the openings?

A: This canopy opens like a dream. Even though it is extremely responsive to input, you will find the openings to be smooth, well-staged and with less tendency to search for a heading during inflation.
Q: How are the flight characteristics?

A: The Valkyrie is more responsive on all controls. The flare and stopping power of this canopy is incredible, and it also has great glide capabilities. All around, this canopy is awesome to fly. But don't take our word for it.
Q: When can I get one?

A: We will be accepting orders from PD's Authorized Dealers on December 1, 2014. Standard crossbraced production time will apply to the Valkyrie. These lead times are posted on the performancedesigns.com home page.
Q: How do I buy one?

A: The Valkyrie will be sold through PD's Authorized dealer network.
Interested customers should contact their local dealer to discuss if this canopy is right for them, and should be prepared to demonstrate expert canopy pilot skills and/or provide references. Potential pilots should be highly competent on a more traditional crossbraced canopy, prior to considering a Valkyrie.
"The Valkyrie is a carving machine! You get so much more lift, control, and smooth flight when carving a swoop, than with a Velocity. The toggles are more responsive, and flare a lot more powerful." - Alejandro Ramos, Tribu Freefly
Q: When will stock canopies be available?

A: We are planning on producing stock canopies by early February 2015, but are anticipating heavy demand for this stock. The best way to assure a quick and efficient Valkyrie delivery will be to place your order in early December 2014.
"The feedback we have been getting on this new product is incredibly positive, with regards to openings, flight characteristics and performance.
We are very excited to make the Valkyrie available to everyone (*with the required experience)."

Comp Velocity
With the ever growing trend of people using the Comp Velocity for every day purposes, we have decided to make changes that will make it readily available for non-competition use.
Introductory Retail Price: $3200

Additional for RDS: $250 (instead of standard slider/subterminal use)
The standard configuration of the Comp Velocity will include a collapsible drawstring slider, instead of the RDS, and 500 size lines.
This will also cause a price adjustment for this product.

Retail Price: $3050

Additional cost for RDS:$250 (instead of collapsible drawstring slider/subterminal use)
"We have also included a number of additional line options for the Comp Velocity. The new order form will offer 300 or 500 Orange Vectran, 500 or 700 HMA, 500 or 750 Vectran. Current stock will remain with 300 Orange Vectran and RDS. We will begin to include the collapsible drawstring slider & 500 line configuration on our stock Comp Velocities in the near future.
We anticipate these pricing, stock and order form changes to occur on or around December 2014."

By admin, in Gear, November 11, 2014

iFly Announces San Diego Wind Tunnel

By admin, in News, November 7, 2014

Exit Order Safety

Brian Germain and wife Laura Kraus launch an exit over Voss, Norway. Photo by Ron Holan There are many different views on exit order, although only some of them are based in science. The following exit order plan is based on the principle of "prop blast penetration": the degree to which a jumper remains under the aircraft based on the drag produced by their body position. When a jumper assumed a low drag body position, head down for instance, they follow a longer arc through the sky on their way to vertical descent.
The fastest falling skydivers are freefliers, which means that they remain under the aircraft longest. If freefliers exit the aircraft first, their trajectory will take them toward, and often beyond the trajectory of flat flyers exiting after them. This fact has been proven time and again in the numerous close calls that have led to the creation of this exit order model. Therefore, the best way to create maximum separation between jumpers at deployment time is to have the FS "flat" jumpers exit before the freefliers, regardless of deployment altitude.
Beyond this, we must also consider formation size when planning exit order. Since the last groups out of the airplane are more likely to land off the dropzone, large groups tend to exit before small groups based on the "needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" principle of human civilization. I concur that this is a good plan, but for another set of reasons. Large groups tend to open lower than small groups due to task fixation and the need for adequate tracking time to create safe separation. This means participants of large formations should open closer to the dropzone. Further, smaller groups have the option of breaking off early, tracking perpendicular to the jumprun and pulling high to compensate for long spots, while the complexity of building a large formation makes it difficult to take such steps toward safety due to the peer pressure associated with the situation.

Photo by Ron Holan
The Exit Sequence
So this brings us to the preliminary plan of sending the flat flyers out first, in groups largest to smallest, then the freefliers. However, since inexperienced freefliers most often remain under the aircraft for a shorter period of time than vertically oriented freefliers performing perfect zero angle of attack exits, the order should be lowest experience to highest. This also allows the more experienced freefliers to observe the exits of the novices, giving them the opportunity to give helpful advice, and to provide extra time in the door if necessary. If the previous skydiver or group is still under the airplane, do not jump. When in doubt, wait longer.
Following the flats and then the vertical skydivers, we have the students and tandems. The order can be varied here, although there are some reasons to support sending the tandems out last. First, landing a tandem off the DZ is safer than landing a student into an unknown location. Second, students can sometimes get open lower than planned, which not only increases their risks of landing off, but puts the instructors at risk of landing off even more as they open lower than their students. Tandems on the other hand have the option of pulling whenever they see fit, which allows the camera flyer to get open high as well.
The last groups to consider are those involved in horizontal skydives, such as tracking, "atmonauti" or steep tracking, and wingsuit pilots. The truth is, experienced horizontal skydivers can safety get out of the way of other jumpers quite easily, and can exit in any part of the order. However, in the case of two or more horizontal skydiving groups, plans must be created and followed with vigilance. For instance, one tracking group can exit first and track out and up the right side of the jumprun, while another group can exit last and offset toward the left side of the jumprun. Three horizontal groups on the same aircraft are best handled by adding a second pass, although there is a great deal of room for creative answers when wingsuit pilots are involved.

Photo by Ron Holan
Timing the Exits
The amount of time between groups must vary based on the groundspeed of the aircraft. On a windy day, with an into-the-wind jump-run, the aircraft may move quite slowly across the ground, reducing separation between jumpers. This requires significant time between exits, perhaps as much as 15 seconds or more on a windy day or a slow airplane. The separation between groups can be increased quite easily on windy days by crabbing the aircraft with respect to the upper level winds, a practice that has become increasingly common at large dropzones. For a scientific explanation of exit separation, please read John Kallend’s PowerPoint, found here.
Many jumpers believe that once the freefall is over, there is no way to prevent a collision. However, given the glide ratio of modern parachutes, we have the ability to close the gap quickly after opening by pointing our canopies in the wrong direction. Given the fact that the vast majority of skydivers will be opening reasonably close to the jumprun, immediately flying up or down the line of flight is pretty much always a poor choice. Therefore, once you have cleared your airspace and pulled, your job is to look for traffic in your immediate vicinity and then fly your parachute perpendicular to the jumprun heading. I like to call this “Canopy Tracking”. Once you verify that the others are open and note their location, you can begin to navigate toward the play area and then to the pattern entry point. This all requires a great deal of awareness and adaptability, as even the best plan can change quickly in a complex environment.
The bottom line is this: keep talking. Every load is a brand new set of circumstances, and requires a good deal of thought and planning. Make sure everyone arrives at the loading area no later than the ten minute call to allow for healthy preparation time. Most accidents and close calls could have been easily avoided by skydivers talking to skydivers, and skydivers talking to pilots. Take your time in the door, keep your eyes open and take care of each other. It is a big sky up there, and when we work together, safety is the likely conclusion.
Brian Germain is a skydiving safety advocate, and has written numerous books and articles on the topic. He has a regular spot on Skydive Radio called Safety First, and has made over 150 safety related videos, all available through AdventureWisdom.com

By admin, in Safety, October 21, 2014

GoPro Hero 4 Silver vs Black - Hypoxic Comparison

We recently announced that GoPro had planned to release their latest action camera, the GoPro Hero 4. The Hero 4 is set for release this month, and since at the time of our original article, we had little to no footage of what the Hero 4 performed like, specifically in a skydiving environment, we couldn't really make a call on value between the different editions.
Hypoxic has now however released a video showing a comparison between the Hero 4 Silver and the Hero 4 Black, and the initial results are a little surprising.
View Full 1920x1080 Hero 4 Silver Image
View Full 1920x1080 Hero 4 Black Image
The video was recorded at 80fps for the GoPro Hero 4 Black and at 60fps for the Hero 4 Silver, though little noticible difference is seen in the smoothness of the video in standard playback. There are however some differences between the two cameras, as can be seen when comparing screenshots of the video. We decided to analyze the screenshots from the video and see who really comes out on top between the Hero 4 Silver and the Hero 4 Black. All example pictures are 1080p (1920x1080) cropped at 100%.
The first thing we looked at when examining the video, were the noise levels. In the example shots above, noise can be seen in the gradient of the sky. Noise levels for both these cameras were good, and it is difficult to pick a clear winner, though for this test I would suggest that the Hero 4 Black comes out on top, though still not a bad result for the Silver Edition.
Next we took a look at some of the primary aspects of image quality, focusing on sharpness and detail levels. This is where we were quite surprised, with the Hero 4 Silver taking a very clear lead over the Black Edition on sharpness and detail. This is an area where many would expect the top tier camera to perform at its best, and give the buyer a reason to spend the extra $100. Instead we find that the Black Edition lacks in sharpness.
In the image above, one can note the sharpness/clarity difference easily by examining the helmet and rig on the top two images. The "Mirage" text is sharp and easily readable on the Hero 4 Silver, while on the Black Edition it's blury and hard to distinguish. Also take a look at the buildings on the top images, on the right of the screenshots. Again the Hero 4 Silver is sharper, both with objects in close range to the camera and in the distance. Comparing the skydiver in the orange and blue jumpsuit on the bottom images, also show you that facial details are picked up much better by the Silver Edition.
Finally we looked at the contrast and saturation, and again we were a little surprised. It was much closer between the two cameras with this test and with regards to saturation, neither of the cameras look oversaturated and they both seem to handle the dark gray and black quite well. When examining the socks of the skydiver, it does seem to handle the whites a bit better on the Silver Edition, both are quite close and very much acceptable, but there appears to be a more crisp whiteness in the left image. This test however is hard to establish with certainty, as the increased sharpness in the left image may suggest crisper colours, while the Hero 4 Black's may appear a bit more washed out due to a lack of sharpness in the image.
It's important to note that in camera manufacturing, there are variables that can result in batches or individual cameras performing poorer (or better) than the standard. So it's possible that this was the case with the two cameras above. Though whether this is to blame for the Hero 4 Black's lack of image performance, will likely only be told with time, as more footage is shot and released.
A much more likely reason for the decrease in performance when looking at grabs taken from a video, as pointed out by the user "cbjetboy" in the comments below. Is that the Black is recording at 80fps as opposed to 60fps. This increase in frame rate is likely to have a negative impact on the result seen from a screenshot, as opposed to as if it had been recorded at a lower fps. It is difficult to say exactly how much of an impact this had on the results, but it seems we will need to wait for further comparative testing before we can come to a solid conclusion. Though when comparing the videos themselves side by side, there is little to suggest that the Black Edition comes out any better than the Silver.
Based on what information we do have though, if you assume that both these cameras are operating at their normal performance levels, unless you're looking to use the 30fps 4k recording that's available solely on the Hero 4 Black, these early tests suggest that you may be just as well of sticking to the Silver Edition and saving yourself $100. The Silver Edition also comes with the perc of having a touch screen for easier navigation and image/video previewing.

By admin, in Gear, October 14, 2014

Introducing The Squirrel Snatch BASE Pilot Chute

The Squirrel Snatch is a revolutionary new product that sees the first BASE targeted development of a toroidal design for a pilot chute. Although the design has been used extensively in the development of non-sport parachutes for over 40 years, until now it's never been manufactured for BASE or skydiving. The idea was born from a discussion between the company's co-designer and CRW expert, Jim Rasmussen.
The toroidal design (also known as a Pulled-Down-Apex design) that the Snatch uses, is a complex and costly product to produce and was no small undertaking by the company. The Snatch has a three dimensional partial toroidal shape and is joined together with two mesh cones, allowing for extremely high drag co-efficiency. Squirrel Wingsuits discuss the differences between the shape of a toroidal design and that of the common pilot chute by saying, "Traditional PCs are two circles sewn together around the edges, typically one of ZP and one of mesh, with a piece of line or webbing connecting the center of each circle together at a specific distance. When pulled from the center of the mesh circle and dragged through a fluid, it inflates into a rough approximation of a pulled-down-apex shape, but with a large amount of distortion and error, with a wrinkled and asymmetric circumference. Imagine crumpling up a single piece of paper until it forms the 3D shape you want to design - it won't look good, nor be an accurate representation of a 3D surface. Yet that is the current basis of traditional PCs: an approximate and inefficient 2D design meant to perform a task that requires a 3D shape."
Squirrel used an ellipse with a 7:10 (H:W) ratio, with an axis offset of 20% of the width in the development of the torus. The tangent formed with the cones and partial torus was calculated precisely to ensure that the ZP had a smooth transition with the mesh. This allows for the ability to maintain a smooth error-free perimeter on the pilot chute.
Innovation aside, the most impressive part about the Snatch is the enhanced performance over regular double circle pilot chutes. Because of the shape of standard pilot chutes, the surface area is usually met with an imbalance of stress, with some areas being pulled more than others, and material being "loose". The randomness aspect that is present in these regular pilot chutes gets minimized with the toroidal design of the Snatch. Unlike normal PCs which are constantly changing shape as airflow moves around the creases and wrinkles, the toroidal design inflates to its intended shape and remains that way, without the pulsing that is usually witnessed.
When inflated, the Squirrel Snatch takes the shape of a 3D object, with specifically calculated gores.
This increase in inflation performance is easily seen in testing where far superior stability was witnessed in both wind tunnel and field testing.
Symmetry is one of the most important factors in the performance of a pilot chute, and each Snatch is guaranteed to be symmetric, with the build tolerance being set at a stringent 1mm +/-.
The focus with the Snatch has not only been on general performance and innovation, but also on safety. Squirrel decided that due to the suggested risks involved with heavy handles, and their involvement in entanglements, that they wanted to produce the lightest possible design, without compromising on durability. The decrease in weight means that bridle entanglements become less likely. The Snatch uses hexagonal carbon-fiber handles for sizes 32, 34, 36 and 38. The 42 featured a pad-patch top with no carbon, while the 46 and 48 are handle-free, for hand held use.
The Snatch already has several skydivers wondering whether or not they will be able to use it on their skydiving rig, or whether the company plans to release a skydiving specific toroidal PC in the future, as well as whether or not this is a development that could change the development and focus of PCs in general.
Squirrel have open sourced the design, in the attempt to get more BASE jumping what they consider to be a higher performance and safer design. For those looking to build their own toroidal PC, you can get in contact with Squirrel via e-mail and they will provide you with the 2D patterns for all sizes.

By admin, in Gear, October 10, 2014

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